1. Field of the Invention
The purpose of this invention is to aid a consumer in locating items within a store
2. Description of the Art Practices
U.S. Pat. No. 5,883,375 issued to Knowles, et al., Mar. 16, 1999 discloses a fully automatic bar code symbol reading system having an hand-supportable laser bar code reading device which can be used in either an automatic hands-on mode of operation, or in an automatic hands-free mode of operation. The system includes a scanner support frame for supporting the hand-supportable device in a user-selected mounting position, and permits complete gripping of its handle portion prior to its use in the hands-on mode of operation. In general, the hand-supportable bar code reading device has long-range and short-range modes of object detection, bar code presence detection and bar code symbol reading. In the illustrative embodiment, the long-range mode is automatically selected when the hand-supportable bar code reading device is placed within the scanner support stand during the automatic hands-free mode of operation. Whenever the hand-supportable bar code reading device is picked up from the support stand and used in its hands-on mode of operation, the short-range mode is automatically selected to provide CCD-like scanner emulation. When used in either mode of operation, the automatic bar code reading device is capable of reading, in a consecutive manner, one or more bar code symbols on an object, while preventing multiple reading of the same bar code symbol due to dwelling of the laser scanning beam upon the bar code symbol. The automatic bar code symbol reading system of the present invention is disclosed in several different mounting arrangements at a point-of-sale station, illustrating novel methods of reading bar code symbols using the automatic hand-supportable laser scanning device of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,935 issued to Jelen, et al., Sep. 19, 2000 describes a system for acquiring shopping list information includes a user terminal and a base unit in selective data communication via a wide-area network, such as the global Internet, common data carrier or a modulated wave propagating over a public utility. The user terminal includes a bar code scanner for getting Uniform Product Code information from a product container or from a manufacturer""s coupon. The user compiles, via the user terminal, a shopping list database by scanning previously obtained products, manufacturer""s coupons, or using direct user input via an interface such as a keyboard or mouse. Once compiled, the database is selectively transmitted to a base unit situated at a retailer via the wide-area network.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,129,276 issued to Jelen, et al. Oct. 10, 2000 discloses a shopping cart mounted portable data collection device with tethered dataform reader. The system of Jelen et al., is designed to acquiring shopping list information and includes a user terminal and a base unit in selective data communication via a wide-area network, such as the global Internet, common data carrier or a modulated wave propagating over a public utility. The user terminal includes a bar code scanner for getting Uniform Product Code information from a product container or from a manufacturer""s coupon. The user compiles, via the user terminal, a shopping list database by scanning previously obtained products, manufacturers coupons, or using direct user input via an interface such as a keyboard or mouse. Once compiled, the database is selectively transmitted to a base unit situated at a retailer via the wide-area network.
U.S. Pat. 6,073,112 issued to Geerlings on Jun. 6, 2000 discloses a computer system for merchant communication to customers. The system of Geerlings employs a computer system to provide automated merchant-to-customer communication. Each merchant customer is grouped into an initial grouping or entry segment, based on merchant definition of allocation filters. Merchant-defined triggers subsequently resegment customer groupings based on predefined criteria, which includes any measurable behavioral patterns as provided by the merchant and stored in a data base. Resegmenting is continually or dynamically provided based on behavior (e.g., shopping activity) of customers. Predefined communication scheduling and/or merchant-defined events initiate execution of a working communication designed by the merchant. The triggers and events are merchant-specified sets of criteria based on demographics, psychographics, and customer shopping behavior. Further filtering of a group of target customers to a final recipient group based on merchant specified criteria is provided by program filters. The present invention combination of allocators, triggers, filters, events and communication programs enable merchant communication of a desired message, to an appropriate recipient group, at a desired time, to be automated through computer systems.
Lloyd, Jr., et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,808 issued Sep. 24, 1985 describes an order filling apparatus includes an elongated belt conveyor having a bin-on switch and a bin-off switch at opposite ends thereof A plurality of item dispensers are positioned along the conveyor, and each dispenser is loaded with a single type of item. An order filling control computer has a bus cable extending along the conveyor, and each dispenser has a dispenser control board connected to the bus. Each control board includes an address decoder and circuitry for relaying command signals from the controller to the dispenser and for generating status signals indicating the operational status of the dispenser. A conveyor travel encoder provides a position signal indicative of conveyor travel. The controller stores orders to be filled with items. An order filling method includes a conveying item receptacle bins past the dispensers to receive items therefrom. As each bin engages the bin-on switch, an order is activated and associated with the bin. The controller is operative to track each bin on the conveyor, detect the presence of each bin at a dispenser loaded with items called for by the order associated therewith, control the dispenser to dispense a quantity of items required by the associated order, detect whether each attempt to dispense an item actually occurs, deactivate each order as the associated bin engages the bin-off switch, and effect the printing of a report listing any items which were called for but not dispensed.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,067 issued to Girerd, et al. on Oct. 10, 2000 there is disclosed a user accesses a server using a client. The client provides an identification code which serves to uniquely identify a remote sensor. The remote sensor is capable of providing information related to its position. The server interrogates the remote sensor and, in response, the remote sensor transmits positioning data to the server where it is analyzed to derive the location of the remote server. The location so determined is transmitted from the server to the client and is displayed at the client so that the user can identify the location of the remote sensor. The client and the server may be connected to a computer network and the client may use a web browser to interrogate the server. The remote sensor may be a SNAPSHOT GPS receiver or other GPS receiver or positioning device. The user display may be a simple position report, e.g., latitude and longitude, or a graphical report which provides an indication of the remote sensor""s location superimposed on a map or other reference.
To the extent that the foregoing references are relevant to the present invention, they are herein specifically incorporated by reference.
A first embodiment of the present invention is a product locator system comprising:
a first computer containing programming responsive to the commands of a user of said first computer regarding the location of products within a store;
a second computer containing programming and having stored data comprising information regarding the location of products within the store;
said first computer having data receiving means to receive and store data comprising information regarding the location of products within the store from said second computer;
said first computer having a display mechanism responsive to the commands of the user of the first computer wherein, for when in use, the user of said first computer inputs a request for the stored data comprising information regarding the location of products within the store as previously obtained by said first computer from said second computer regarding the location of products within the store; and,
wherein the output of the location of products within the store as requested by the user first computer is displayed by the display mechanism of the first computer.
A second embodiment of the present invention is product locator system comprising:
a first computer containing programming responsive to the commands of a user of said first computer regarding the location of products within a store;
a second computer containing programming and having stored data comprising information regarding the location of products within the store;
said first computer having data receiving means to receive and store data comprising information regarding the location of products within the store from said second computer;
said first computer having a display mechanism responsive to the commands of the user of the first computer wherein, for when in use, the user of said first computer inputs a request for the stored data comprising information regarding the location of products within the store as previously obtained by said first computer from said second computer regarding the location of products within the store;
wherein the output of the location of products within the store as requested by the user first computer is displayed by the display mechanism of the first computer;
said first computer containing programming to request the location of a specific product or specific pricing of products from data received and stored in said first computer from said second computer;
said first computer contains programming for communication of data from said second computer to provide information relating to special pricing or offers of selected products to said first computer;
said first computer further comprising a Universal Product Code scanning system, for when in use by a user of the first computer, to provide data regarding products within the store where such data has been previously obtained from said second computer and stored in said first computer; and,
said first computer further comprising a standardized product list independent of data received from said second computer.